Online shopping has revolutionized the retail industry. Many people rarely go out to brick and mortar stores anymore because everything they need or could want they can find on the internet. Plus when you buy on the internet you don’t have to fight traffic or the crowds at the store, deal with that pushy sales person, or have to wait in line to check out.
If people aren’t going out shopping where they can handle the item, see what it is made of, and get a feel for the size or fit, how are they to know what they are buying, especially when shopping for apparel? The obvious answer seems to be they look at the item photo on the site, however it is often difficult to know if the image has been retouched, if the colors are true, or how the item will be sized. The real trick to ensuring that customers are getting what they want is to have a full product description for all of the items on your site. Here are some questions to answer in deciding if you need to beef up you product descriptions.
What is the product? What are you selling? Are you selling a crew neck sweater? Then the description should say crew neck sweater. People are looking for what the item is and that includes on most apparel items, not just what kind of item but what makes it different from the others.
Fabric? What is the product made from? Cotton? Polyester blends? Wool? Does the fabric stretch? What color is it?
Care instructions? How do I wash it? Dry clean only? Machine washable? Do I iron it? Hang dry?
Size and Fit? Do your sizes run true or are they a little small? A little big perhaps? How long is the inseam? Do you have a size chart?
Additional features? Does it have a pocket? Trim? Buttons or a zipper? Does a women’s blouse have a built in bra? Does the hem curve at the bottom?
Model sizes? Like what you see in the photo? What size is the model wearing and what are the models measurements?
Providing people with a detailed product description lets people know what they are buying before they buy it. Your customers will be happy and you will probably get less returns.